Truth Of Juvenile Delinquency Essays - Criminology, Crime, Penology

Truth Of Juvenile Delinquency A movement has taken hold nationally to change the juvenile justice system, and erase any distinction between young offenders and adult criminals. Almost all fifty states have overhauled their juvenile justice laws, allowing more youths to be tried as adults and scrapping long-time protections to help rehabilitate delinquent kids and prevent future crimes. The current debate over juvenile crime is being dominated by two voices: elected officials proposing quick-fix solutions, and a media more intent on reporting violent crimes than successful prevention efforts. Politicians feel that best and easiest solution is to simply lock up youth offenders for long periods of time, and ignore rehabilitation. The most recent studies demonstrate that putting young offenders in adult prisons leads to more crime, higher prison costs, and increased violence. Yet, we are spending more and more on corrections, and less on prevention efforts. Some states spend more on corrections than they do on higher education. The cost of keeping juveniles in prison as compared to putting them into rehabilitation programs is astronomically higher. The Average cost of incarcerating a juvenile for one year is between $35,000 to $64,000. However, the average cost of an intervention program is $4,300 per child a year. Also the effectiveness of prisons to prevent juveniles from becoming repeat offenders is low. Kids, who have already spent time in adult prisons, are far more likely to commit more serious crimes when they are released. Crime prevention programs work and are cost-effective. They have been shown to reduce crime substantially when compared to imprisonment after crimes have been committed. There have many crime prevention programs around the country that have been very successful in helping to reduce juvenile crime. Many states use early intervention programs that are designed to help parents of troubled kids in raising their children. These programs offer strategies and tactics for hel ping supervise and discipline troubled children. This is done because it is believed that one of causes of delinquency is that parents of kids with delinquent tendencies simply don't know what to do with them. This program as well as other similar ones, have been shown to have quite an influence on crime prevention. Media reports on juvenile crime are greatly exaggerated. While some headlines suggested that a ?ticking time bomb? of so-called ?superpredator children? is waiting to explode, the studies show that this is simply not true. Crime level indicators show that the male ?at risk? population will rise over the next decade, but the levels are far from the explosive level that the media would like to suggest. In fact, the levels are lower than those reached in the late 1970's , when the ?at risk? population last peaked. The public also holds greatly distorted views about the prevalence and severity of juvenile crime. Contrary to public perception, the percentage of violent crimes committed by juveniles is low, only 13% of violent crimes are committed by young people. Also, most juvenile arrests have nothing to do with violence. Most kids only go through the juvenile justice system once. Also, most youths will simply out grow delinquent behavior once they mature. The true ?juvenile predator? is actually a rare breed. But the media thrives on sensationalism, so they make it appear that crime is everywhere in order to sell more news papers, or have people watch their broadcast. Juvenile crime does exist and youths do commit violent acts. However, it is not on the scale that many people would like the public to believe. The solution is to this problem is not a simple one and can not be solved by simply putting kids in adult prisons. More effective solutions should be explored and put to use. A movement has taken hold nationally to change the juvenile justice system, and erase any distinction between young offenders and adult criminals. Almost all fifty states h ave overhauled their juvenile justice laws, allowing more youths to be tried as adults and scrapping long-time protections to help rehabilitate delinquent kids and prevent future crimes. The current debate over juvenile crime is being dominated by two voices: elected officials proposing quick-fix solutions, and a media more intent on reporting violent crimes than successful prevention efforts. Politicians

Bulldog Boxer vs Pit Bull Essay Example

Bulldog Boxer vs Pit Bull Essay Example Bulldog Boxer vs Pit Bull Essay Bulldog Boxer vs Pit Bull Essay Essay Topic: Jaws The Boxer vs. The American Staffordshire Terrier Melanie Donaldson EN 1101 Mr. L December 21, 2010 The Boxer vs. The American Staffordshire Terrier What makes these two dogs so similar is that they are two of the top most popular pets in the United States. It been said, that dogs are mans best friend, and because of this, it makes them great companions. These two breeds, the Boxer and the American Staffordshire terrier fit very easily into a family life. When an owner tells his dog that he is a good boy, the dog happily wags its tail. Then, there are those times when an owner has to discipline his dog, the dog, then creeps away with that sad puppy dog look on its face. According to Jill Viers (2009), a dog will love you unconditionally; it will be there till the end. Doesnt it deserve the same when it is truly mans best friend† (para. 6) The Boxer, and the American Staffordshire terrier; both possess the intelligence, muscular strength, and guardian of all dogs; this is what makes both of these two breeds so desirable. For starts, the Boxer and the American Staffordshire terrier were first used for the sport of dog fighting, and bull baiting until it was banned in the early 1900s. According to Angela Harris (2009), â€Å"Bull-baiting is a very old form of entertainment. The blood sport goes as far back as the ancient cultures of the Romans, Greeks, and Egyptians. Bull baiting became very popular in medieval times. This produced a huge demand for dogs that were effective bull baiter â€Å"(para. 1) The Boxer was first breed in the early 19th century, they used them for dog fighting, bull baiting and to run down, hold, large game for their master. The Boxer received their name because of their ability to stand on their hind legs and bat at its opponent, appearing to box with its front paws, hence the name, Boxer. Then, later in Germany, the Boxer became the breed known for their intellect, alertness, and muscular strength. Germany later used them as guard and police dogs because of their alertness. After World War 1, the Boxer came to America, where their popularity grew in the states. Whereas, the American Staffordshire terrier has a similar background as the Boxer, hey also were fighters and bull baiting, until they bred it out of both breeds. According to the American kennel club (2010), Originally called the Bull-and-Terrier Dog, Half and Half or Pit Dog, it became known as the Staffordshire Bull Terrier in England. When accepted for AKC registration in 1936, the name changed to American Staffordshire Terrier to reflect the heavier American type and to distinguish them as separate breed. † (para. 1). The American Sta ffordshire served in World War l, and brought back over to the states. Nevertheless, both breeds are very protective of their family. Therefore, these two breeds are similar in their appearance, and general impression on how the hold themselves. The Boxer is a medium-sized dog, with a strong head and good short back with strong limbs. A Boxer should have a broad and blunt muzzle with a black nose. This gives them their unique look of alertness and character. His well-developed muscles are clean, hard, and appear smooth under this breed tight skin. His movement combines strength and agility with elegance and style. They have a chiseled head, which splits the Boxer unique head imparts. Then, you have those deep, dark brown eyes that offer an intelligent and alert expression. Similarly, the American Staffordshire terrier gives you an impression of great strength for it size, well-put together dog, and extremely strong for its size. Additionally, they have a broad head with a medium length muzzle, and their eyes are dark, round and set deep in their head, with very strong jaws. They should have a very broad and deep chest, with a muscular hindquarter, which makes them a very strong and protective breed of dog with great instincts. This makes them a great guardian, as they will let you know when to beware of strangers; they are a very devoted family dog. In addition, these two breeds also have similar temperance. The Boxer is a very playful, attentive, and a very must a family dog. The Boxer is also very gentle with children, but they do have a tendency for being stubborn, but they also have a sensitive side to them. The Boxer can be aggressive towards strange dogs, but usually they are good with other family pets. The playful spirit of this dog is seen by when it paws at food or at its water dishes when they are empty or even by its love of jumping. The Boxer needs a lot of human companionship, and an active family is best in keeping them out of trouble. Training early on his highly recommended with this breed. As for the American Staffordshire terrier goes, it is also playful, friendly and a great companion for the family. This breed is gentle and loving towards people, as they are good-natured in spirit. They are very protective of their family and their families’ property, but they are normally gentle with children. In addition, with any breeds, early socialization is very important to prevent possible dog aggression. However, a well-trained American Staffordshire terrier can make a wonderful addition to a family with a strong owner. More importantly, when it comes to their health, the Boxers are usually healthy, but because of their limited gene pool, boxers can be more prone to health problems than the American Staffordshire terrier. This is because the Boxers have a much narrower waist than the average dog, which makes them prone to digestive, pancreas, tumors and heart conditions. The Boxer does not do well in the heat or in the cold weather due to their short muzzle and coat. In addition, a Boxer lifespan is about eight to twelve years. Whereas, the American Staffordshire terrier lifespan is twelve to fourteen years and are a lot healthy then the Boxer. The American Staffordshire can be prone to heart murmurs, thyroid problems, skin allergies, tumors, and hip dysplasia. Otherwise, they are a healthy breed. However, as far as grooming and maintenance on these two breeds, it is easy as they both have the small kind of coat. A Boxer’s coat is short and shiny that lies very smooth and tight against their body. So does the American Staffordshire terrier; they also have the same kind of coat close to the skin with a glossy shine. Both breeds are to be an average shedding dog, and very clean. They should be brush on a regular basis, as this helps their coat keep their shine. The Boxer colors are either fawn and white or brindle. However, on the American Staffordshire terrier, they pretty much can be any color including being brindle, fawn and white. In summary, both breeds have their good and bad qualities. It all depends on the owner and the training the dog receives. The Boxer rates number five in popularity; considered one of the best guard dogs, as well as a good family pet. The Boxer also has another advantage over the American Staffordshire, and that it is excellent with all children. Finally, the Boxer also does well with other pets in the household. Not like the American Staffordshire terrier, where it needs raised with the family from puppyhood. References American kennel club-boxer. (2005, March 30). In akc. org. Retrieved December 17, 2010, from akc. org/breeds/boxer/ Bulldog-Boxer. (2010, June 29). In bulldog breeds. com. Retrieved December 18, 2010, from bulldogbreeds. com/boxer. html American kennel club-american staffordshire terrier. (n. d. ). In akc. org. Retrieved December 20, 2010, from akc. org/breeds/american_staffordshire_terrier/ Dog breeds american staffordshire terriers. (n. d. ). In five star dog. com. Retrieved December 19, 2010, from 5stardog. com/dog-breeds-american-staffordshire-terrier. asp

Weirding the War by Stephen Berry Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Weirding the War by Stephen Berry - Essay Example He also addresses other pertinent issues like analyzing whether the civil war played a part in destroying or reinforcing the cult of domesticity in America. Finally, a review of other author’s books is done to see whether they can gladly be explained by Stephen’s ‘weirding’ the war ideology (Berry, 2011). The definition of gender roles provides a description of these roles as being, the different duties assigned to an individual based on their gender. Gender is a socially constructed term used to refer to an individual’s social or legal status. Its ascription is on the basis of the biological dispositions which differentiate men from women. The antebellum attitudes affected the gender roles as seen in the three different articles. A general background appraisal of the attitudes which existed during this era clearly shows the disparities present in the gender roles assigned to different people. These disparities influenced the day-to-day interactions of different people. The formation of attitudes is as a result of influence from different factors such as, political alliances, economic status or race. For example, race influenced people’s attitudes in a tremendous way. ... The formation of political alliances also played a great role in the formation of people’s attitudes. The Southern states possessed different political ideologies from the Northern states which created tension and culminated in the start of the Civil war. One of these ideologies was; the Northern states advocated for the abolishment of the slave trade whereas the Southern states seemed to be profiting from slavery. â€Å"The Tale of the Three Kates† by LeeAnn Whites illustrates the way economic status also influenced the formation of people’s attitudes especially in relation to gender roles. The antebellum society's influence was from the male culture which affected all sectors of society. Meaning, men had the authority to own property, unlike women. Therefore, the roles assigned to men included those that allowed them to acquire property. In addition, the economic status ascribed to women depended on the status ascribed to their fathers or husbands (Berry, 2011) . All the books also attempt to analyze whether the cult of domesticity experienced some effects by the civil war. This begs the question, what did the phrase ‘cult of domesticity mean’ in the first place. It referred to the pre-existing culture of the people living in the antebellum period. It confined women to play a domesticated role which included running the households and nurturing their children. On the other hand, the men worked tirelessly striving to make a living to support their families. It was, therefore, unheard of to find women working with the men in the different industries. However, this soon changed when the war started. It destroyed the cult of domesticity by redefining the roles ascribed to people based on their gender. The women had to fill in the vacant